


A Place (To Call Home)

by Missmadhatter96



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, And I not good at writing with prompts in mind, Angst?, Character Death, Hurt & Comfort, M/M, Post wars, but I’m slow as shhheeeettt, shinichi - Freeform, sorta - Freeform, suppose to be for ShinIchi week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:48:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23418490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missmadhatter96/pseuds/Missmadhatter96
Summary: Shinji sat behind his desk and watched. Waiting. Wishing he’d done something sooner. Or noticed in time. An old friend of his would say ‘better now than never, right?’ Shinji supposed so.He just wished he’d seen it sooner.-That he could of saved the kid all those years ago from this fate.Sorta ShinIchi. Phone fic. Sorry for errors.
Relationships: Hirako Shinji & Kurosaki Ichigo & Hinamori Momo, Hirako Shinji/Kurosaki Ichigo
Comments: 4
Kudos: 106
Collections: Hollow or Instincts Driven Ichigo





	A Place (To Call Home)

**Author's Note:**

> Welp.. ShinIchi weekend was great but I didn’t get to post this for it... the weekend had a theme yeah? Everyone’s works were just wonderful.
> 
> Made me think of this little thing. Happy late ShinIchi weekend.
> 
> Enjoy.

Shinji sat behind his desk and watched. Waiting. Wishing he’d done something sooner. Or noticed in time. An old friend of his would say ‘better now than never, right?’ Shinji supposed so.

He just wished he’d seen it sooner.

-

It happened on a nice warm day in June.

Momo was training the new recruits, her smile so bright when they caught on to the kidou she was teaching.

Shinji hummed in approval, sipping his earl gray tea, seated under a ancient tree and enjoying the shade when he felt the overwhelming reiatsu he’s come to know so well.

He drops his cup, not caring if it would be broken upon return and set off in quick flurries of shunpo.

The ground blurred to one line of dirt and grime to the next. He must of been going for what felt like hours before skidding to a halt, blood rushing in his ears, chest heaving with the strain of pushing himself faster and faster the closer he got.

There, sitting in the mud with legs crossed gazing at the clouds, was Ichigo. His Ichigo.

His duel swords still with him so that was a good sign. But the mask fragment under his left eye resting delicately over his cheekbone was not.

Gold eyes flickered to his and Shinji felt the tension leave his body.

Ichigo recognized him.

“Hey.” Ichigo coughed. His voice held the distinct trace of his hollow but it wasn’t as rough like it use to be. To Shinji, it made Ichigo all the more sexier.

Or maybe that was his hollow half talking.

Shinji chuckled, strolling over to the redhead and offering a hand up. “Sure know how to make a dramatic entrance don’t cha?”

Ichigo hauled himself upright and wobbled, balance still off. “It seems to be a specialty of mine. What district did I end up in?”

“87th. Quite a ways away.” Shinji didn’t want to ask. Probably shouldn’t ask. But he was a curious creature. “What happened, Ichi?”

Ichigo blinked and stilled in the movement of picking up his swords. He shrugged once Zangetsu and Ossan were in their respective places. “Accident.” Ichigo waved a hand in dismissal. “Could I crash with you? Least until Kyoraku-san finds me a place or sets me somewhere.”

Shinji frowned but didn’t say anything. With a nod they sped away back to the Seireitei. Shinji couldn’t say he was surprised Ichigo used Sonido instead. Seems now that his human life was over, his hollowified-zanpaktou had more control over their appearance and basic skill sets.

He didn’t mind. He himself was half hollow as were 7 others he saw as family. And he knew Ichigo saw them as family too.

-

As expected Shunsui was laid back about Ichigo’s arrival and his hollow traits; welcoming him with open arms and a warm smile.

Everyone was fine with the hybrid except Central.

Shunsui told them were to shove it and moved on.

Shinji’s honestly surprised the man still has a job as Soutaicho.

-

Ichigo was under Shinji’s care. Momo was currently trying (and failing) to teach the hybrid some kidou.

Her newly dyed dark purple hair (thanks to Rangiku) nodded as they started again.

Shinji was proud of her. She has become the strong lieutenant he’d heard stories of again. Maybe even stronger. Her heart was in a good place as her mind.

Ichigo scratched under his mask fragment as he nodded along and watched how her hands moved and listened with keen ears the incantation she was teaching him.

Shinji hadn’t noticed all those months ago but Ichigo had gotten skinnier.

Not to mention his hair was now as long as his Vasto Lorde form.

Shinji chuckled under his breath as he remembered this morning. Ichigo was trying to braid his hair but it wouldn’t corporate with him. Shinji stepped in once the knife came out and stopped his fussing over his hair, braiding it neatly down his back. Ichigo just huffed and kissed his cheek before getting ready for the day.

“Almost! Try not to focus too hard on it. Let the power come to you, feel it in the air around and form it to your will.” Momo said in her teaching tone. Always soft and understanding and never yelling at the students failure. “I know you have a Quincy side so this should be sorta natural. I believe in you! Try again please.” She stepped back and let Ichigo focus.

It looked as if everything was going smoothly with Momo helping. But not a minute later Ichigo gasped and fell to a knee panting for breath.

Shinji was by his side in a heartbeat. “Ichi!”

“No! Stay back!”

Momo had stopped just in time before a circle of light formed around the redhead. Shinji had seen this before in the war.

“Ichigo.”

Ichigo got his breathing back under control and pulled his darker side to him. He rubbed his forehead of sweat and sat back with a sigh. “Sorry.”

Momo moves cautiously closer just to be safe and set to restoring. He didn’t think Ichigo was injured until Shinji moved to his other side and seen his mask bleeding and reforming under his eye again.

“That happen a lot?”

Ichigo sighed. “Sometimes. Er...Zangetsu and Ossan don’t mix well as some might think, I’ve been struggling with them both since the war. I honestly think it’s how I...how I died.”

“Kisuke know?” That earned him a scoff.

“Why would I tell him? You and Hinamori-san are the only ones I kinda sorta trust right now. Besides, I’m just his weapon anyway.”

“He doesn’t see you that way.”

“Kinda does.”

“He was your mentor.”

“You and the other Visords were more mentors then him.”

“But he did helped you retrieve your powers to save Rukia.”

Ichigo stood and snapped in Shinji’s face. “He killed me!”

Momo gasped, hands covering her mouth in shock.

“Ever since Byakuya stabbed me as he took back Rukia, Kisuke knew I’d hollowify due to moms past and all he did was cut my chain of fate. I died that night, Shinji.”

A tense silence settled over the three. Only sound being the cool breeze in late October.

Ichigo sighed and ran a hand through his hair until it caught on the braid.

“I’m sorry Ichi. I didn’t know.” Shinji said barely above a whisper. His long time “friend” killed his sorta student? It made sense though. The vast reiatsu and sharp learning curve.

Ichigo stopped living barely at the age of sixteen.

“It’s a secret. Most know but that’s by accident that they find out. Urahara told me I’d have to die to save Rukia, so I did. Didn’t think how it’d play out in the long run, didn’t care as long as my friends and family were safe.”

Ichigo left the two standing in the training field stunned.

  
-

  
Shinji came home to a silent house. No music playing softly from Ichigo practicing nor soft scratching as he worked on his latest masterpiece; no pots and pans banging as Ichigo fixed dinner for the two of them.

It was cold and void of life.

Shinji hated it.

He found a letter on the counter and Shinji’s heart stopped, fearing the worse.

  
_Off to living world. Dinners in fridge be back soon._

_-Ichigo_.

  
Shinji sighed. Ichigo was a grown man now, he could come and go as he pleased.

  
-

  
Except Ichigo didn’t come back.

He hadn’t even visited in months and everyone knew the redhead couldn’t stay in living world without causing damage to humans.

Shunsui sent Shinji and whoever the blonde thought Ichigo trusted enough to come back with.

He picked his lieutenant and packed for a long stay.

-

They didn’t find any trace of the hybrid for weeks until one night a hollow came bursting through town, scaring non-awares and kidnapped a child that had enough reiatsu to be of interest.

Before neither he or Momo could intervene, a black and red blur zoomed by and the hollow sliced in half. The figure crouched nearby talking to the kid in hushed tones.

Shinji approached hesitantly. “Ichigo?”

The figure flinched then let the child go with a warning to stay in during the night.

“Shinji.” The echo of his hollow had gotten worse since he last saw the hybrid.

Ichigo turned to face them, hollow eyes shining in the dim street lights.

What happened? Why did you run? When will you be back?

These questions and more ran through the captains mind.

Momo ran over to the hybrid and pulled him into a warm embrace. Shinji didn’t miss the sharp intake of air as she hugged him tighter. Slowly the redhead returned the hug, awkwardly placing his hands where it would be appropriate and not feel weird.

“We missed you, Ichi-chan! Why did you run? Taichou and I are here for you! Moron!” Ah just like Momo to hug then chastise loved ones.

Ichigo scratched under his mask fragment like he always does when nervous. “Umm, I’m sorry?”

“Baka! Sorrys are not supposed to be a question!” She huffed putting her hands on her hips.

Ichigo was surprised how much she reminded him of his sisters. That thought brought a pang of hurt. “Hinamori-san, I’m truly sorry for leaving.” Ichigo bowed. And that said a lot about how much the hybrid trusted the two of them. Showing his naked neck, a very vulnerable move to any hollow.

Shinji knew this feeling and hardly showed his neck to anyone. Not even Momo.

“Tsk. Don’t worry ‘bout it brat. Let’s just go home.”

“H-home?” Ichigo questioned.

“The fifth. It’s yer home too. Got the order from Shunsui, your officially my Lieutenants co-Lieutenant.” Shinji grinned, signaling Momo to open the gate back home.

Ichigo looked shocked. Home. They wanted him to stay.

He smiled in what feels like years.

“Yeah, lets go home.”

-

**Author's Note:**

> Thx for reading. Stay safe out there.


End file.
